With temperatures in the south of England looking likely to top 90F over the next few days, the 2009 Henley Regatta is set to be sweltering for both competitors and spectators. A broad range of internationals entries (including the whole New Zealand squad) in the top level events also promises some heat on the water later in the week, while tomorrow brings the first day of racing with the first rounds of the Club and Academic events.
The Temple (for Student eights) has the largest US entry this year, of which Brown and Princeton have been selected. Also racing will be Bates College, Kent School and Worcester Polytechnic Institute. In the Thames Cup (club eights) Four Score and Four and Green Lake Crew, the only US entries, have also been selected. With Leander Club barred from competing in the Club level events for the first time, it’s difficult to predict which crews will end up in the final, but London, Molesey and Tideway Scullers will all fancy their chances.
Yale have their first ever entry in the Prince Albert (for student coxed fours).
The spare-pairs race which is from the Barrier to the finish, rather than over the full course, took place on Tuesday morning. MIT beat Gonzaga College easily in the final after they’d dispatched with pairs from Princeton, Brunswick School, Bates College, Westminster School and Belmont High School.
As is normal before the regatta, rumours abound about which crews are scratching, who has injuries and who's had a nervous breakdown in the boat (I kid you not). However, one poor oarsman in the Goldie Prince Albert crew , definitely won’t be competing after falling off his bike in Cambridge on Friday and breaking his collar bone. Cambridge are also pllanning to make a number of additional subs in their other crew.
Racing starts at 9am BST tomorrow and finishes at 7:20pm.
The full timetable of racing can be found here; live on-line commentary can be heard on regatta radio at www.regattaradio.co.uk
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07/02/2009 7:48:45 PM
06/30/2009 11:02:13 AM